Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-09-23
free, and if either Of you shall fall in love

II cannot admit the existence Of such
possibility 80 far as l am concerned"
made answer Louis. passionately.
"NevertA eless such things are POSSIBLE,
and have occurred especially where two
such children as you both are were con-
cerned. Now let me hear nothing more
on this subject. l shall send Grace to
Say with her aunt, Mrs. Elavyn, in
Washington, until you are gone, and l
shall feel seriously displeased with you if
you breach to her any subject connected
with love and matrimony before her de-
parture.'
And 30 we'll and carefully did Mrs.
Marsden (who was at once acquainted by
her husband with all the details of the
affair watch over her daughter, that
Grace went away for her visit wholly
unconscious of the conquest she had made
Of her cousins affections She was, to
tell the truth, SO delighted at the idea of
a journey to Washington, of a sojourn
with her favorite aunt whose daughter
Alice was about her own age). and of all
the things she meant to see and do. that
she had lost sight of the fact that Cousin
Louis was going to sail for Europe in
few weeks. and that she would not see
him again for a long, long time. In
fact, the peculiarly morbid disposition of
the young man had finally become repel-
lent to her bright nature. and though she
was always affectionate and kind to him,
she felt, unconsciously, certain degree of
relief in the thought of his absence.
"You must not forget me, Grace" he
said, fervently, at the moment Of her de-
parture. And the young girl answered.
gavlv: mo fear of that, Louis. Even if
you never write to any of us, / shall al
ways remember you. For you are my
cousin, you know-just the same to me
as one of my brothers"
Louis was about TO utter some pro-
testation respecting this announcement
on Grace's part; but a significant touch
on his shoulder from the hand OF Mr..
Marsden recalled that gentleman stern
prohibitions, and he contented himself
with kissing with fervor the little hand
that Grace frankly placed within his
own, unheeding the fresh young face
that was held up to him for parting
salute.
"How odd you are, Louis, not to kiss
me goodby!' she cried, gayly, as she
sprang into the carriage; remember,
you must write your first letter from
Rome to me. And be sure you tell me
what you think about St. Peters and the
Colosseum. l wish I were going with
you to see them all.
IF you only were!' muttered Louis,
as the carriage drove away. There
goes my guardian angel and must go
forth alone to meet the demon"
a few weeks later Louis Seabrook
sailed from New York for Europe. He
did not fail to write to Grace more than
one imprisoned love letter shortly after
his arrival; but the child, perplexed, I'M
sympathizing and half provoked with
what she called cousin Louis foolish.
ness, made no response to his fervent
protestations. Louis took the hint, and
the correspondence thereafter was con-
Quoted on a more tranquil footing. To
this change sharp reproof from Mr..
Marsden, and a threat of forbidding al
together any interchange of letters, prob
ably contributed largely. The traveller
wrote but seldom. but he often sent
tokens of regard and remembrance to his
uncle's family, and especially to Grace
| One of these was fine copy Of the cele-
brated portrait of Caesar Borgia, by Ra-
phael, which is one of the noted art
treasures of the Borghese palace. And
in the strangely beautiful face, with the
evil tendencies of the inner nature look
ing from the large eyes and curving the
full red lips, Mrs. Marsden recognized
with a shudder a strong resemblance to
the countenance of her nephew. Indeed,
he alluded TO the likeness himself in one
of the infrequent letters received from
him during his soiourn in Rome II
must be a true descendant of the Bor-
gias," he wrote, "for my likeness to the
Raphael portrait has been commented
upon even by total strangers, and when l
went to see my great grandfather. DR..
Marini, when passed through Milan the
other day. his first exclamation on be.
holding me was: You are like your
mothers race. By the way, what a
wonderful old man he is! have prom
ised to pay him long visit on my way
back to Paris and he tells me that he
will then contide TO my keeping sundry
family relics Of great importance. con-
fess that l am very curious to see them.
He is nearly 80 years old now, but pre-.
serves all his faculties unimpaired"
A few months later Louis wrote that
the promised visit had been paid. and
that DR.. Marini had placed in his hand:
some curious and antique objects severa
of which had at one time belonged to the
famous family of Pope Alexander Borgia
Amongst these" he wrote, lis an ivory
casket of exquisite and artistic workman
ship. 1t possesses certain singular prop
critics which ! shall describe when we
meet Next came the news of the
death Of the old doctor, who had seemed
to have lived thus long for the expires.
purpose of bestowing his cherished heir
looms on his great grandson and sole
direct descendant.
The two years that had been fixed a.
the period of young Seabrook's absenc,
had nearly come to an end, and he haC
already written TO announce the date a
which he would sail for home, when h,
received from Mrs. Marsden the news O
Grace's engagement to young ant
talented lawyer, Stuart Hastings BY
| It'll.